This document provides details about the Kulekhani Hydroelectric Power Plant in Nepal. It describes the key elements of hydroelectric power plants including the catchment area that collects water, reservoirs to store water, dams to raise the water level, turbines to convert kinetic energy to mechanical energy, generators to produce electricity, and other components like penstocks, draft tubes, and trash racks. It also discusses the primary elements of the Kulekhani plant specifically, including its 126 square kilometer catchment area and 2.2 square kilometer reservoir. Finally, it outlines some advantages like low operating costs and disadvantages like high initial costs and dependence on water availability.

1. MAYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND
MANAGEMENT SELAQUI, DEHRADUN
PREPARED BY:
RAM SUNDAR SINGH
120710104032
MECHANICAL ENGG.

2. 1. INRTODUCTION
2. LOCATION AND HISTORY
3. ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
4. WORKING PRINCIPAL
5. ADVANTAGE & DISADVNTAGE

3. In Hydro Power Plant the water is utilized to move the
turbines which in turn run the electric generator’s.
The Potential energy of the water stored in the dam
gets converted into the Kinetic Energy of the moving
water in the penstock. And this Kinetic Energy gets
converted into the Electrical Energy with the help of
Turbine & Generator (T-G) combination.

5. I have done my vocational summer training from
kulekhani hydro power plant. The kulekhani Hydro-
electric power station is situated in lower Mahabarat
range of Makawanpur distric , Central region of
nepal.
In 1963 a preliminary design report on the kulekhani
hydel project is prepared by a japanese team to develop
112 KW to utilize a potential head of more than 1000m .
1st Unit was commissioned in 14th may 1982 and the
project was completed in 4th December of the same
year with project total cost of US$ 117.843.

6. PRIMARY ELEMENT’S
CATCHMENTS AREA
RESERVOIR
DAM
PRIME MOVERS
DRAFT TUBES
PENSTOKE & OTHER EQUIPMENT
SAFETY DEVICE’S
SPILL WAY’S
SURGE TANK
TRASH RACK

7. The catchment area of a hydro plant is the
whole area behind the dam, draining into a stream or
river across which the dam has been built at a suitable
place.
catchment area of kulekhani is 126 sq.km.

8. A reservoir is employed to store water which is
further utilized to generate power by running the
hydroelectric turbines.
The reservoir area of kulekhani plant is 2.2
sq.km at highest water Level 1530 m .

9. A dam is a barrier which confines or raise water for
storage or diversion to create a hydraulic head.
Dam’s are generally made of concrete, Stone masory,
Rockfill or Timber .

10. Turbine & Generator is the most important part of any
power plant.
Turbine :
a machine for producing continuous power in which a
wheel or rotor, typically fitted with vanes, is made to
revolve by a fast-moving flow of water is called
turbine. It converts the K.E. of water into mechanical
energy.

11. Generator is a machine in which when there is
rotation of coil between the strong Magnetic Field
then it produces an Alternating Current.
It is a machine for converting mechanical energy
into electricity.

13. The draft tube is a conduit which connects the runner
exit to the tail race where the water is being finally
discharged from the turbine.
. It serves in following purpose’s :
1. It allows the turbine to be set above tail water level
without loss of head, to facilitate inspection and
maintenance.
2. It regains by diffuser action , the major portion of the
kinetic energy delivered to it from the runner.
3. It increases the output power.
4. It increases the efficiency of Hydro Power Plant.

14. Penstock is an enclosed pipe that connect between the
dam & the turbine house.
It helps to increase the kinetic energy of the water
coming from the dam.
Penstock is made up of a very strong material which
can sustain the high pressure of water

15. Some more components are required for the
proper, user friendly & smooth functioning of the
power plant. These components are as follow:
VALVE :- This the instrument which is used to
control the pressure of flow of water .
PUMPS :- This device is used to send water or
any fluid from lower potential to higher potential.

16. A spillway is a structure used to provide the
controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into
a downstream area, typically being the river that
was dammed.
Spillways is used to arrange the excess of
accumulation of water on the dam because excess
accumulation of water may damage the dam
structure

17. A surge tank is a standpipe or storage reservoir at the
downstream end of dam or barrage pipe to absorb sudden rises
of pressure, as well as to quickly provide extra water during a
brief drop in pressure.
When there is a sudden close or decrease in pressure due to
control valve then there is a back flow of water. This creates a
high pressure zone in the penstock due to which it may burst .
This effect is known as WATER HAMMERING EFFECT .
To avoid this a tank is attached to the penstock which stores
water in it . This tank is called as Surge Tank.

18. A trash rack is a wooden or metal structure,
frequently supported by masonry, that prevents water-
borne debris (such as logs, boats, animals, masses of
cut waterweed, etc.) from entering the intake of
a water.
This protects waterwheels, penstocks, and sluice gates
from destruction during floods.

19. No fuel charges.
Less supervising staff is required.
Maintenance & operation charges are very low.
Running cost of the plant is low.
No fuel transportation is required.
No ash & flue gas problem & does not pollute the
atmosphere.
These plants are used for flood control & irrigation purpose.
Long life in comparison with the Thermal & Nuclear Power
Plant

20. The initial cost of the power plant is very high.
Takes long time for construction of the dam.
Generally, Such plant’s are located in hilly area’s far away
from load center & thus they require long transmission lines &
losses in them will be more.
Power generation by hydro power plant is only dependant
on natural phenomenon of rain .Therefore at the time of
drought or summer session the Hydro Power Plant will not
work.

21. Thank you